ORLANDO, FL (July 23, 2004) -Preliminary play at the US Youth Soccer National Championships came to a close this evening as 24 teams advanced to Sunday's Championship round at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Michigan Hawks downed Georgia's United Quest Red '85 2-0 in the Under-15 Girls division, with goals from Emily Esbrook in the first minute and Danielle Toney at the 66-minute mark.

"I'm happy with the way they gutted it out," said Michigan Hawks Head Coach Jim Kimble. "Tomorrow I'll ask them to get a lot of rest, stay off their feet and ponder what it means to play for the National Championship. This will be the third time we've played the Mustangs this year, so it won't be hard motivating the team."

In preliminary play earlier this week, the Mustang Blast edged out the Michigan Hawks by a score of 3-2 when the Mustangs rallied from a 2-goal deficit against the Hawks, courtesy of Lindsay Pierce's go-ahead goal in extra minutes. The Mustang Blast are four-time US Youth Soccer Far West Regional Champions, but have yet to win a US Youth Soccer National Championship.

In Under-15 Boys action, the Chicago Magic (Illinois) beat Solar '89 (North Texas) 3-1, and the Arsenal FC (California South) tied the Bethesda United (Maryland) 1-1. Chicago and Arsenal FC advance to Sunday's Championship match. In their previous match this week, Arsenal defeated Chicago 4-2.

In Under-14 Boys action, the Rockford Raptors (Illinois) will face the Celtic Harps (California South) in the Championship match. Rockford and the Harps played to a 2-2 tie when they faced each other earlier in the week.

In the Under-18 Girls Division, the San Diego Surf rode their way to victory as Amy Espten scored the games only goal in the 67th minute to defeat World Class (New Jersey). San Diego advance to the finals where they will face the Michigan Hawks. The Hawks tied United Quest Red (Georgia) but advance to the finals based on a sequence of tie breaking rules.

The Under-18 Boys Championship game will feature Sereno 86 White (Arizona) against Busch SC (Missouri). Sereno needed to at least tie their game against Texans 85/86 (South Texas) to earn a spot in Sunday's final and did so by matching the Texans three goals. Busch SC needed to win tonight's game to advance to Sunday's Championship match. Busch SC defeated FC Greater Boston Bolts (Masseshusetts) 3-1.

Play resumes Sunday at 7:30 am with the 2004 US Youth Soccer National Championship matches.

The 2004 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, providing approximately 124,000 players on 7,200 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play, is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament. The US Youth Soccer National Championships cap a yearlong series of competitions for boys and girls teams in multiple age brackets.

About US Youth Soccer - US Youth Soccer-The Game for ALL Kids!® is the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.

US Youth Soccer National Championships
Day 4 Morning Match Results - Preliminary Round

Under-14 Girls
Michigan Hawks (Michigan) 2, Mt Laurel United Strikers (New Jersey) 1
Goal Scorers: Alicia Borstad (Michigan) 4:00, 39, Jackie Bishop (Mt Laurel) 6:00
ESC 90 Black (Oklahoma) 3, Eagles (California South) 0
Goal Scorers: Melinda Mercado (ESC) 14:00, Kyndall Treadwell (ESC) 28:00, Alexandria Hampton (ESC) 61:00

Under-14 Boys
Celtic Harps (California South) 2, Hockessin Blizzard (Delaware) 1
Goal Scorers: Matthew Margiotta (Hockessin) 10:00, Peter Fitschen (Celtic) 11:00, Magdaleno Isiordia (Celtic) 70:00
Tampa Bay Kickers (Florida) 1, Rockford Raptors (Illinois) 0
Goal Scorers: Brendan Howard (Tampa Bay) 65:00

Under-15 Girls
Dallas Texans '89 Red (North Texas) 1, Mustang Blast (California North) 1
Goal Scorers: Meghan Doyle (Mustang Blast) 26:00, Michelle Nguyen (Dallas Texans) 70:00
Michigan Hawks (Michigan) 2, United Quest Red '85 (Georgia) 0
Goal Scorers: Emily Esbrook (Michigan) 1:00, Danielle Toney (Michigan) 66:00

Under-15 Boys
Chicago Magic (Illinois) 3, Solar '89 (North Texas) 1
Goal Scorers: Cody Stanley (Chicago) 17:00, David Reyes (Solar '89) 18:00, Eric Lichaj (Chicago) 19:00, Jack Hillgard (Chicago) 55:00
Arsenal FC (California South) 1, Bethesda United (Maryland) 1
Goal Scorers: Mostafa Ebra (Bethesda) 27:00, James Gamboa (Arsenal FC) 68:00

Under-16 Girls
Eclipse Select (Illinois) 1, PDA Wildcats (New Jersey) 0
Goal Scorers: Jackie Santacaterina (Eclipse) 60:00
Slammers FC (California South) 4, Renegades (Florida) 0
Goal Scorers: Whitney Engen (Slammers) 11:00, (2) Lisa Kevorkian (Slammers) 14:00, 68:00, Jamie Alvis (Slammers) 68:00

Under-16 Boys
Casa Mia Bays (Maryland) 2, Texans 87/88 (South Texas) 1
Goal Scorers: Anthony Tijero (Casa Mia) 38:00, Victor Faustino (Casa Mia) 54:00, Jonathan Yanez (Texans) 80:00
Chicago Magic (Illinois) 2, FC United '87 (Washington) 2
Goal Scorers: Jeffery Macaluso (FC United) 18:00, Nikolas Besagno (FC United) 23:00, Chris Schuler (Chicago) 57:00, Steve Kolzow (Chicago) 70:00

Under-17 Girls
So Cal United (California South) 2, Bethesda Excel (Maryland) 0
Goal Scorers: Kristina Loucks (So Cal) 38:00, Kathleen Oaks (So Cal) 49:00
Windy City Pride (Illinois) 5, Dallas Texans 87 Red (North Texas) 1
Goal Scorers: Kellye Roberston (Dallas Texans) 11:00, Johanna Johnson (Windy City) 47:00, Krysti Howser (Windy City) 53:00, (3) Jackie Jasper (Windy City) 57:00, 64:00, 75:00

Under-17 Boys
Scott Gallagher (Missouri) 1, Albertson Red Storm Clash (Eastern New York) 0
Goal Scorers: Joseph Sondag (Scott Gallagher) 64:00
ISC Strikers (California South) 2, Weston (Florida) 2
Goal Scorers: Marcos Flores (ISC Strikers) 6:00, Christian Jerome (Weston) 20:00, Bryant Pugmire (ISC Strikers) 56:00, Emanuel Chacon (Weston) 71:00

Under-18 Girls
San Diego Surf (California South) 1, World Class (New Jersey) 0
Goal Scorer: Amy Epsten (San Diego Surf) 67:00
Michigan Hawks (Michigan) 1, United Quest Red '85 (Georgia) 1
Goal Scorers: Kristin Mishrell (United Quest) 75:00, Melissa Dobbyn (Michigan Hawks) 79:00

Under-18 Boys
Busch SC (Missouri) 3, FC Greater Boston Bolts (Massachusetts) 1
Goal Scorers: Michael Videira (Greater Boston) 8:00, John Diraimondo (Busch SC), David Roth (Busch SC) 52:00, Denaldin Hemzagic (Busch SC) 63:00
Texans 85/86 (South Texas) 3, Sereno '86 White (Arizona) 3
Goal Scorers: James Robertson (Texans) 24:00, Giovanni Barletta (Texans) 38:00, Michael Gavin (Sereno) 45:00, Michael Manone (Sereno) 66:00, Brandon McDonald (Sereno) 79:00, Tukato Ban (Texans) 83:00

Under-19 Girls
Pleasanton Rage (California North) 3, HBC Fury (Eastern New York) 3
Goal Scorers: Julia Schnugg (Pleasanton) 10:00, Courtney Arikian (HBC) 19:00, Megan Farmer (HBC) 43:00, Whitney Temple (Pleasanton) 44:00, OG (HBC) 86:00, Darby Kroyer (Pleasanton) 88:00
Eclipse Select (Illinois) 3, GSA 85 Phoenix Red (Georgia) 1
Goal Scorers: Jessica Bayne (Eclipse) 4:00, Jen Buczkowski (Eclipse) 45:00, Elizabeth Guess (GSA) 46:00, OG (Eclipse) 51:00

Under-19 Boys
HSC Bulls '85 (Hawaii) 3, Scott Gallagher (Missouri) 0
Goal Scorers: Satoshi Mitsuda (HSC) 14:00, Justin Kim (HSC) 25:00, Duke Hashimoto (HSC) 54:00
84 CASL Elite (North Carolina) 2, Baltimore Bays (Maryland) 0
Goal Scorers: Steven Curfman (CASL) 29:00, David Boole (CASL) 62:00

US Youth Soccer National Championship Pairings
Games to be played Sunday, July 25th

Under-14 Girls
11:30 am Field A - Eagles (California South) vs. ESC '90 Black (Oklahoma)

Under-14 Boys
11:45 am Field B - Rockford Raptors (Illinois) vs. Celtic Harps (California South)

Under-15 Girls
12:30 pm Field C - Michigan Hawks (Michigan) vs. Mustang Blast (California North)

Under-15 Boys
12:45 pm Field D - Chicago Magic (Illinois) vs. Arsenal FC (California South)

Under-16 Girls
7:45 am Field B - Eclipse Select (Illinois) vs. Slammers FC (California South)

Under-16 Boys
7:30 am Field A - Casa Mia Bays (Maryland) vs. FC United (Washington)

Under-17 Girls
9:45 am Field B - So Cal United (California South) vs. Windy City Pride (Illinois)

Under-17 Boys
9: 30 Field A - Weston (Florida) vs. Scott Gallagher (Missouri)

Under-18 Girls
10:30 am Field D - Michigan Hawks (Michigan) vs. San Diego Surf (California South)

Under-18 Boys
10:15 am Field C - Busch SC (Missouri) vs. Sereno '86 White (Arizona)

Under-19 Girls
8:00 am Field C - Pleasanton Rage (California Rage) vs. GSA '85 Phoenix Red (Georgia)

Under-19 Boys
8:15 am Field D - '84 CASL Elite (North Carolina) vs. HSC Bulls (Hawaii)